Swimming
by Miss Asian
Summary: The Cullens are all in for the swimming plan Alice had made for the family except for Bella who seemed to be suddenly afraid of the water.


**I haven't written a fanfiction for a while. So here it is. Enjoy the randomness and fluffiness of this. :]**

* * *

**Swimming**

It was overcast Saturday afternoon when I found myself sandwiched in the sofa by Esme and Edward. Esme, as lovely as she was, had been sketching a magnificent house for ten minutes now. Edward was holding my hand and I knew that mine was starting to freeze already. Rosalie and Emmett were both sitting on the opposite couch watching a show in the flat screen. Jasper was lying on the carpet just staring at the ceiling. I had a feeling that Carlisle was in his study probably reading a book and Alice was in her bedroom planning something.

"We are all going swimming!" Alice's wind chime voice echoed throughout the quiet house. Every head turned to look at her as she flitted downstairs holding a midnight blue bikini. I had to swallow back the terror I'd suddenly felt when she shot me one of her glares that literally meant excited. Deadly excited. "Oh c'mon, Bella! You'll look fabulous!"

"No, I wouldn't." I muttered breathlessly as the unwanted image of me in a bikini popped into my mind. I cringed at the thought and the sound of Emmett snickering made me flush even more.

"I wonder what I'll wear..." Rosalie spoke and I had to frown. Since when did she have a problem about her perfect voluptuous curves? At least she didn't need to be so intimidated unlike me! The skinny, little Bella.

"You'll look great in a red two-piece, babe." Emmett wrapped his arm over his mate's shoulders.

I looked at Edward with pleading eyes and he just smiled his usual crooked smile. My face fell into a grimace and then I turned to Esme.

"It might be fun, dear." She patted my arm and I felt suddenly helpless.

All the time we were traveling using Carlisle's Mercedes and Edward's Volvo, I was not speaking… I was sulking like a little child with my arms folded and Alice who was now sitting beside me seemed to not stop chattering about her swimming plans. Since when did people start swimming in a dreary, cold, and wet Pacific Northwest?

A while later, a large unusually-shaped building seemed to appear out of nowhere. There were only few cars that were parked outside and Alice jumped out of the Mercedes and headed straight inside without waiting for us. I cowered out of fear as the rest of us walked inside. Emmett was snickering again. The terror was building up inside me that I couldn't help but slightly shake.

"What is it, Bella?" Edward asked me as we all stood at the main lobby. The place looked like a five-star hotel yet inside it were massive swimming pools. _Warm_ swimming pools.

"I can't swim." I said shakily. "I don't know how to flop my feet or how to stroke my arms. I can't even freaking float!"

By then, Emmett was laughing loudly with Carlisle and Esme looking sympathetic yet delightful at me. Alice just finished talking to the receptionist who seemed dazed after seeing the seven magnificently beautiful creatures in front of her. And of course, I was not one of them.

A few minutes later, we were all inside a big blue private pool that Alice had gotten for us. Everyone was staring at Alice who was unpacking the bag she had taken. The contents were all swimsuits and trunks. I flushed again. I wouldn't want to see them in so little clothing—especially Carlisle and Esme. But I was curious. It was then that I felt glad that Edward couldn't read my mind. Oh, the shame it would've brought me.

I was out of the room and inside the bathroom with Alice as she handed me the simple midnight blue one-piece swimsuit.

"Please, Alice. I beg you," I clutched her shirt pleadingly. "I'd rather watch."

Alice's golden eyes narrowed and then after a second of deliberation, she grinned. "Wear this, NOW!"

I sighed as I got off my coat and my sweater and my pants and my boots and my socks and even my underwear. Geez, this is so ridiculous. Alice eyed me again. I hadn't noticed that she was already in her bright yellow two-piece.

"You look great!" Alice chimed and I hastily wrapped a towel around my body. The others were already around the massive pool and my eyes bulged out of its sockets when six vampires with glorious perfectly chiseled bodies stood there looking at me… ME! The skinny girl wrapped in an oversized towel!

"Oh, c'mon, Bella! Don't be shy. We won't bite." Emmett winked at me and I flushed scarlet. I hurried to Edward's side—still keeping a downward gaze for he was wearing trunks. Geez… even Jasper and Carlisle who I'd never thought of seeing them like these seemed completely indifferent as they both sat down near the edge of the pool with their feet dangling in the water. Alice danced her way towards the pool and jumped with such grace that I felt the self-pity again.

"We won't let anything happen to you, dear." Esme held my hand and I noticed that she was wearing a white one-piece swimsuit that suited her perfect body wonderfully. I forgot how young she looked like. Edward also went into the water with Rosalie and Emmett both plunging together. Esme took the towel around my body and placed it on a bench. "Do you want to sit around for a little while?"

"Yes, thank you." I smiled timidly as we both made our way on the edge of the pool—copying Carlisle and Jasper. So now, I was sitting between and Carlisle and Esme. They both look so stunning and young.

We watched the other four swam. It was then that I noticed their bodies. Emmett's bulky muscles were sort of scary while Edward was lean. Rosalie had the perfect curves as Alice was petite yet the curves were still there. When Jasper went into the water, he was also lean and looked athletic.

The parents were different though. Esme was less angular but still held the same roundness. And oh dear vampire… I had never expected Carlisle to be so muscular and fit. His muscles were neither overdone like Emmett's nor as lean as Edward and Jasper. It was just the right combination. Geez… Carlisle of all sakes—I didn't expect him to be so chiseled.

"Do you want to swim now, Bella?" Carlisle suddenly asked and I knew I was tomato red for he had seen me staring at him. Good heavens… it was disturbing. I just nodded mindlessly and I felt Carlisle and Esme's arms on each side of mine as we slowly slid down from the edge and into the warm water.

The water reached the level of my collar bone and Esme was a little bit taller than me—Carlisle was tall so he didn't need to drown. I chuckled as I stayed in my place.

"Don't be afraid, honey." Esme said and I smiled. Carlisle dipped his head underwater making his fair hair become dark brown.

"With seven vampires around you, there's no need to worry in drowning." Carlisle chuckled and nodded at Esme. His wife grinned.

"First things first… You need to know how to float." Carlisle scooped me from underwater and I gasped out of fright as he held me and he walked towards the deeper part of the pool. The others were snickering a few feet behind us. The water had reached Carlisle's neck and the fright I've gotten from him made me close my eyes. I didn't want to see how deep the water was. I didn't want to remember the feeling of drowning… the feeling of helplessness…

"Bella," Carlisle whispered as he noticed me subtly shaking. "I'm not going to let you be harmed, okay?"

I nodded gravely as my eyes were still closed. Carlisle suddenly let go of his hold on me and for half a second I felt myself falling downwards. Immediately, I grab hold on him like a scared cat and everyone laughed. Even the man I was clinging onto was chuckling. My eyes were open then and I saw Carlisle with a clearly amused expression. I noticed that both of my arms were around his neck and my legs were on his waist.

"Sorry," I apologized but I did not let go for I really didn't want to drown.

"Hey, Bella! Give the old man a break." Emmett half-yelled and certainly was jesting on me. I frowned and then I slowly let go—breathing deeply. Carlisle's hands were still holding both of my arms.

"Why is Carlisle the only one teaching me?" I asked and Edward was the one who answered.

"Because he's the best swimmer amongst us all," he grinned. "You remember the story how he swam the English Channel in record time? That practice made him the best."

"Okay." I eyed Carlisle speculatively and he laughed.

"You can trust me, Bella."

"If you can never trust Carlisle then you can never trust anyone." Esme said lovingly and I smiled. Carlisle let me float with the front of my body in the water and his right hand was on my belly for support. My head was still raised for air.

"Close your arms in front of your head for streamlining." He instructed and I did.

"She's very tense, Carlisle." Jasper said and I felt a wave of calm surge through me.

"Now, relax." Carlisle said and I took a deep breath before I dipped my head into the water. His hand let go under my tummy and I was floating. It was easy.

And then suddenly, I saw Emmett underwater and he pulled me under and then swam rapidly with me tucked under his right arm. I had no idea what happened next until I found myself coughing badly and shaking my left ear which seemed to have been filled with water. All of them were hovering around me on the tiled floor. Emmett was still looking like silly.

"You are going to pay for this, Emmett." I coughed again and everyone laughed.

"Oohh… I'm scared." Emmett rolled his eyes playfully and I stood up sluggishly. My feet slid down the wet tiles and luckily, there were seven vampires who caught me before my head could crack with the floor.

"Geez, Bella. You're so clumsy it's not even funny anymore." Alice said as the different cold hands released their gentle grasps on me.

"I was born to be a danger magnet."

Edward held my hand and Esme suddenly had a digital camera in her hands. "Now, boys. Go strike your poses."

"Esme," Carlisle began but he was cut off by his wife.

"Pose, NOW!" she grinned and the four men stood side by side. I had to refrain from laughing as the very image of the four of them in their swimming trunks seemed to be so hilarious yet incredibly sexy at the same time. And again, I was very glad that Edward couldn't hear my thoughts.

Emmett was the only one grinning as Jasper had a small smile playing on his lips and Edward looking rather embarrassed at me. Carlisle's expression was funny—like he really shouldn't be doing things like this for he was a professional man and not a swimwear model.

Esme showed me the picture and wow… did they look so stunning that they would give even the famous male models a run for their money. Alice was giggling behind me.

"This picture is _so_ going to eBay."

I laughed at what she said and then the camera was on Emmett's hands. Alice literally dragged me near the edge of the pool and then Emmett took a picture. I was just standing rather awkwardly with a timid smile on my face in the picture while the other three looked like Victoria's Secret models—even better.

"Now _this_ is going to my desk." Carlisle chuckled and we all laughed.

"Beware of the rabid nurses, dear." Esme said as she placed a hand on her husband's arm.

This day turned out to be wonderful than I'd expected. How could it not when a family like the Cullens was with me? A group of diverse persons that treated me as their own and a family that I could be proud of having.


End file.
